Can I use third-party gift cards with Square?

[Sparkld_NL]

Hello, i am looking to purchase gift cards from a third party, am i able to use them with my current Square system? ty 

[ChalkShop]

eCardsystems is saying free shipping over $50, yet it’s charging me $22 for shipping. Don’t you think $22 is a bit excessive for shipping? We’re forced to use 1 company only and then have to spend $22 on shipping? I want to order 125 gift cards bringing my total to $17o.~ so now I’m losing an additional $1.41 on each gift card, plus square transaction fees. Come on. 

[Valentina]

Have you tried contacting eCard Systems yet, @ChalkShop?

They should be able to give you a hand with the order issues you're experiencing.

You can contact them by email or phone using the info on this page!

P.S. Welcome to the Seller Community ✨

[Complainer]

Try ordering from Canada, 325$ for the cards, 75$ for the shipping! criminal

[smallcakesssi]

It's $25 shipping for 75 cards now. 😑 Square needs to step in on this.

[koanga]

Such a bad business model forcing customers to order gift cards from ONE vendor. The most annoying part is that ecardsystem takes like a month from the time you place and order to receive them. Square should definitely look adding more vendors for gift cards. Just switch to square couple of months ago from a different pos vendor and  I already start to look for a different POS vendor.

[crystalimages]

Have you considered using the eGift Card option? 

There's nothing to order, no upfront cost to your business in ordering physical cards.

More eco-friendly. Don't have to worry about lost cards, etc. 

You can even print them yourself if you wish, but it doesn't have a magstripe, just enter the card manually.

If you use a lot of these, I guess I could see the manual entry being an issue, but it's pretty simple. 

You can also scan them with the device camera. The customer can open the eGift Card on their phone and scan from that. 

Other features with these, you can now refund to an eGift Card, so you don't lose your money, but the customer can make another purchase. In-Store Credit.

Customers can add more funds to the card right from the card on their phone. 

If you have customers who shop with you regularly, they can add funds at their convenience for future purchases, rather than keeping a card on file or paying for services in advance and you having to keep track of it.

[smallcakesssi]

Agreed regarding ecardsystems. The lead times are really long, the site is not working right now as far as uploading the graphic for the cards, and to top it off they're now charging $25 for FedEx Ground for 75 non-fragile cards (can't be a half a pound?) to go 8 hours from TN to GA. It's gouging, and I don't think it's too harsh to call it that. Why can't they just ship it via USPS (which probably wouldn't even be $13)?

[NaturalWineGuy]

Square doesn't want to make anything easy for the retailer. They want to steal as much money as they can from you. It's an absolute rip-off to charge so much for gift cards. Either way, you're 🔩'd!  If you tell a customer to use the website to order a gift card they charge a higher percentage fee. So to make up for this in person they charge a ridiculous fee for ordering gift cards. 

I wish I'd never started with Square and I'm extremely vocal telling other retailers to avoid it like Covid!

Square wants all of your money and will fee you out the 🍑 for such a 💩ty service that can't even add a third decimal! 

[crystalimages]

You can sell eGift cards from the POS. You just have to turn it on in settings.

In the Dashboard, go to Gift Cards under the menu, eGift Cards, configure, make sure in store is turned on.

 

[ferics2]

eCardsystems is a joke, its so expensive, shipping is excessive. Square please give us better options. 

[npham1110]

Will Square consider any other giftcard vendor because the one and only  eCard Systems, right now is taking forever with shipping and order process.. 

[MayaP]

Hello @npham1110 oh no, I am sorry your gift cards are taking so long to arrive.

At this time Square is not considering using another vendor. We do have integrations with companies that do provide gift cards. Also, you can reach e-CardSystems support at 1-866-776-7409 or artwork@ecardsystems.com.

I really hope this helps and that the gift cards arrive soon. Please let us know if you need anything else! 

[ladytreeteam]

You can load a small amount on an e-gift card which will generate a code that you can then write on your own gift vouchers. You then need to refund the amount which will put the gift card balance to £0. When a customer then wants to purchase a card you go to ‘top up e-gift card’. Hope this helps! It’s not the most elegant solution but it works. 

[fontbots]

Yes, Square does support the use of third-party gift cards with their system. Square has a feature called Square Gift Cards that allows businesses to sell and accept gift cards as a form of payment. These gift cards can be physical cards or digital gift cards, and they can be purchased directly from Square or from approved third-party vendors.

To use third-party gift cards with your Square system, you would typically need to follow these steps:

1. Ensure that the third-party gift cards you intend to use are compatible with Square. Check with the gift card provider or vendor to confirm if their cards can be processed through Square's system.

2. Set up gift card payment processing in your Square account. You may need to enable the gift card feature and link it to your account. This can usually be done through the Square Dashboard or Square Point of Sale app.

3. Train your staff on how to process and accept gift cards. They should be familiar with the specific process for redeeming third-party gift cards through Square. This may involve scanning or manually entering the gift card details during a transaction.

4. Communicate with your customers that you accept third-party gift cards. Make sure they are aware that they can use their gift cards at your business and provide any necessary instructions on how to redeem them.

It's important to note that while Square generally supports the use of third-party gift cards, there may be specific limitations or requirements depending on the gift card provider. It's recommended to reach out to Square's customer support or check their documentation for more detailed information on using third-party gift cards with your Square system.also visit fontbots